Projectile



G. BESSIERE.

PROJECTILE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 3. I91]- 7 1 ,327,372. Patented Jan. 6, 1920.

- 7 4yc/M I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAVE BESSIERE, 0F NEUILLY-SUR-SEINE FRANCE.

PROJEGTILE.

Application filed December 3, 1917.

is adapted to carry messages and to show a visible trace during its flight and at the point where it falls.

The projectile is of cylindrical form and is shown in a longitudinal section in the accompanying drawing, by way of example. The projectile comprises a cast iron body 1, in the interior of which is concentrically arranged a cylindrical casing 52 intended to receive a message. The caslng 2 is closed by a cap 3 which enables the message to be more easily withdrawn.

The projectile is closed at its front by an obturator 4 provided outward with a central recess in which is mounted, a moderately tight-fitting automatic ignition apparatus constituted by a cylindrical striker 5 held in place by a safety pin 6 and arranged so as to ignite, by means of a detonator 7, a tow wick 8 bent in the shape of a U and passing through two openings provided in the part 4: and suitably arranged at either side of the detonator 7. i

The obturator 4 has a series of cylindrical holes '10 acting as vent holes, and the body of the projectile is provided with a series of similar holes 9 arranged normally to the first holes.

The device is charged with a smoke-producing material 11 filling the annular space comprised between the casing 2 and the inner surface of the projectile 1.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The projectile provided with the message desired, is introduced in the barrel of any desired gun, rifle, or mortar, and is arranged so that the obturator 4 is in front.

At the moment of firing, the striker 5 shears the safety pin 6 and produces deto- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 6, 1920.

Serial No. 205,131.

nation and ignition of the wick 8. This sets on fire the smoke-producing composition which emits a thick smoke through the vent holes 9 and 10 so that the projectile may be clearly traced.

At the moment the projectile strikes the ground, the smoke continues to be emitted. It may happen that, in falling, certain of the vent holes become closed, and it is for that reason that a large number are arranged in the side and end of the projectile.

The smoke emitted during the flight, has the double advantage of tracing the projectile, so that the observers may move away if they are in danger from its fall, and that the smoke being emitted for some time after the projectile has fallen to the ground, it

.may be readily seen and the message contained in it collected.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is:

A projectile including a message receiving tube, a cylindrical casing enveloping said tube, and being filled with a smoke producing material, a detonating device positioned in the front of the casing, such detonating device comprising a cap, a striker, a fuse and a soft metal rod, the striker being formed with a transversely extending opening adapted to house the rod which engages the cap member and retains the striker in a position above the cap, the inertia, when such projectile is fired, serving to shield said rod and allow the striker to explode the cap igniting the fuse which fires the smoke producing material.

In testimony whereof I afi'lx my signature in presence of a witness.

QUSTAVE BESSIERE.

Witness J urns LEBSEWG. 

